Mickey Mouse said, "Arithmetic is being able to count up to 20 without taking off your shoes."
If two balanced hands face each other, the combined point-count will give a good indication of the number of tricks that will be won. But when one player has a distributional hand and the partnership has a good trump fit, that count becomes an unreliable guide.
Look at the South hand. West opens one spade, North makes a takeout double, and East jumps to four spades. What should South do?
East pre-empts to the maximum despite being vulnerable. Yes, he has only two jacks, but he has six-card spade support and a heart void. Note that four spades doubled would cost only 500.
South has only eight high-card points, but with 0-7-4-2 distribution, he must bid five hearts. It is possible that both sides can make game. In fact, South should be more nervous about missing six hearts than worrying that five hearts will fail.
Five hearts is passed out. West cashes his two top trumps, then shifts to a spade. How should South continue?
Declarer needs to take the rest of the tricks. If he pitches a club and a diamond on dummy's spades, he will eventually lose a diamond trick. Instead, South must discard two diamonds on the spades. Then he plays a diamond to his king (the honor from the shorter side first), leads a diamond to dummy's ace, and ruffs a diamond in his hand. When the diamonds divide 3-2, declarer crosses to the board with a trump and throws his club loser on dummy's winning diamond.
If two balanced hands face each other, the combined point-count will give a good indication of the number of tricks that will be won. But when one player has a distributional hand and the partnership has a good trump fit, that count becomes an unreliable guide.
Look at the South hand. West opens one spade, North makes a takeout double, and East jumps to four spades. What should South do?
East pre-empts to the maximum despite being vulnerable. Yes, he has only two jacks, but he has six-card spade support and a heart void. Note that four spades doubled would cost only 500.
South has only eight high-card points, but with 0-7-4-2 distribution, he must bid five hearts. It is possible that both sides can make game. In fact, South should be more nervous about missing six hearts than worrying that five hearts will fail.
Five hearts is passed out. West cashes his two top trumps, then shifts to a spade. How should South continue?
Declarer needs to take the rest of the tricks. If he pitches a club and a diamond on dummy's spades, he will eventually lose a diamond trick. Instead, South must discard two diamonds on the spades. Then he plays a diamond to his king (the honor from the shorter side first), leads a diamond to dummy's ace, and ruffs a diamond in his hand. When the diamonds divide 3-2, declarer crosses to the board with a trump and throws his club loser on dummy's winning diamond.